2 Chronicles 21

1 Jehoshaphat died was buried with his fore fathers in the City of David, and his son Jehoram took over as king.

And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son became king in his stead.

2 His brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat, were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. All were sons of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.

And he had brothers the sons of Jehoshaphat: 'Azaryah, and Jechiel, and Zecharyahu, and 'Azaryahu, and Michael, and Shephatyahu, all these being sons of Jehoshaphat the king of Israel.

3 Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and valuable items, as well as the fortified towns in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

And their father gave them many gifts [consisting] of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the first-born.

4 But once Jehoram had secured the kingdom, he made sure of his position by killing all his brothers, along with some of the princes of Judah.

Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he slew all his brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel.

5 Jehoram was thirty-two when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years.

Thirty and two years was Jehoram old when he became king, and eight years did he reign in Jerusalem.

6 He followed the evil ways of the kings of Israel, and was as bad as Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab's daughters. He did evil in the Lord's sight.

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as had done the house of Achab; for the daughter of Achab had he for wife: and he did what is evil in the eyes of the Lord.

7 However, Yet the Lord did not want to destroy David's line because of the agreement he had made with David, and he had promised that David's descendants would rule forever like an ever-burning lamp.

Yet would the Lord not destroy the house of David, on account of the covenant which he had made with David, and as he had said to give to him a government and to his sons at all times.

8 During Jehoram's reign, Edom rebelled against Judah's rule and chose their own king.

In his days Edom revolted from under the power of Judah, and they appointed a king over themselves.

9 So Jehoram crossed into Edom with his officers and all his chariot army. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he broke through during the night.

Then did Jehoram go over with his princes, and all the chariots were with him; and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites who compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots.

10 From this time on Edom was in rebellion against Judah's rule, and remains so to this day. At the same time Libnah also rebelled against his rule, because he had abandoned the Lord, the God of his forefathers.

Yet Edom revolted from under the power of Judah even until this day: then did Libnah revolt at the same time from under his power; because he had forsaken the Lord the God of his fathers.

11 He also built high places on the mountains of Judah; he made the people of Jerusalem unfaithful to God and led Judah away from him.

He also made high-places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go astray, and misled Judah.

12 Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet that said, “This is what the Lord, the God of David your forefather says, ‘You have not followed the ways of your father Jehoshaphat, or Asa, king of Judah,

And there came unto him a writing from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus hath said the Lord the God of David thy father, Inasmuch as thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, and in the ways of Assa the king of Judah,

13 but instead you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and have made the people of Jerusalem unfaithful, and the people of Jerusalem as unfaithful as the family of Ahab. You have even killed your brothers, your father's family, who were better than you.

But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go astray, as the house of Achab hath caused [others] to go astray, and hast also slain thy brothers of thy father's house, who were better than thyself:

14 Watch out, for the Lord is going to hit your people hard—your sons, your wives, and all that you own.

Behold, the Lord will inflict a great plague on thy people, and on thy children, and on thy wives, and on all thy possessions;

15 You yourself will be struck with a terrible illness—a disease of the bowels which will get worse day by day until they come out.’”

And thou shalt be [afflicted] with great diseases by a disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels pass out [from thee] by reason of the disease days upon days.

16 The Lord stirred up the hostility of the Philistines and of the Arabians (who live near the Ethiopians) against Jehoram.

And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that are alongside of the Cushim:

17 They came and invaded Judah, and took away everything they found in the king's palace, along with his sons and his wives, so that only the youngest son Jehoahaz was left.

And they went up against Judah, and made an incursion into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and also his sons, and his wives; and there was not left unto him any son, save Jehoachaz, the youngest of his sons.

18 After all this, the Lord struck Jehoram with a disease of the bowels for which there was no cure.

And after all this did the Lord afflict him in his bowels with a disease which was incurable.

19 Day after day it grew worse, until after two full years passed his bowels came out because of his disease, and he died in agony. His people did not make a fire to honor him as they had done for his forefathers.

And it came to pass, from days to days, and when the [fixed] time was expired, after two years, that his bowels passed out [from him] by reason of his disease: so he died of evil diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning for his fathers.

20 Jehoram was thirty-two when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. When he died, no one mourned him. He was buried in the City of David, but not in the royal tombs.

Thirty and two years old was he when he became king, and eight years did he reign in Jerusalem, and departed without joy: and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.